Born Trump

Inside America's First Family

By: Emily Jane Fox

Narrated by: Emily Jane Fox

Who is Donald J. Trump? To truly understand America’s 45th president, argues Vanity Fair journalist Emily Jane Fox, you must know his children, whose own stories provide the key to unlocking what makes him tick. Born Trump is Fox’s dishy, deeply reported, and richly detailed look at Trump’s five children (and equally powerful son-in-law, Jared Kushner), exploring their lives, their roles in the campaign and administration, and their dramatic and often fraught relationships with their father and with one another.

Reexamining the tabloid-soaked events that shaped their lives in startling new detail, Born Trump is full of surprising insights, previously untold stories, and delicious tidbits about their childhoods (ridiculously privileged and painful, in equal measure) and the extraordinary power they now wield. As a version of this new kind of American royalty they wish to be, they are ensconced not in palaces but in Trump Tower and the White House.

Even before Trump’s oldest child, Don Jr., was born, Donald told friends that he wanted at least five kids - to make sure there was a greater probability one would turn out just like him. His vision didn’t pan out exactly as he’d imagined, but Trump’s children each inherited some of his essential traits - as one source says, “collectively, they make the whole.”

Ivanka is a media-savvy, hyperskilled messenger with her father’s self-promotional ease but without the brash.

Don Jr. has the most contentious relationship with his father yet seems prone to endlessly repeat his mistakes.

Eric embraced the family’s real estate business but has, in surprising ways, charted a more independent course than his siblings.

While Tiffany grew up mostly separate from her father, she inherited Trump’s perspective as an outsider - his unique combination of assurance and insecurity.

And there is Ivanka’s husband, Jared Kushner, whose own family drama and personal ambition is a crucial thread in this saga.

Come for the vision of Trump as a father - a portrait of the president at his kindest and cruelest. Stay for the revelatory gossip, including the truth about the firings of Christie and Manafort, the inside scoop on Donald’s three marriages, why Ivanka and Jared are “bashert”, and how this family of real estate tycoons have become the most powerful people in the world.

©2018 Emily Jane Fox (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Emily Jane Fox

I'm loving it so far. I'm on chapter three. fox has a great voice for narrating.

Adds a human side to an inhuman situation.

Let me begin by saying that I read this book despite how I feel about Trump and his family - which is 100% negative. Maybe 1000%. But I like Emily Jane Fox and respect her meticulous journalism. So I gave it a whirl, as they say.

I'm surprised that the overall ratings aren't higher. Everything about the book is interesting and riveting - from the first page. Emily Jane Fox draws very specific - and objective - portraits of the entire Trump family (with the exception of Baron, of course). She clearly shows who they are and how the events of their lives shaped them. Without being overly subjective, she presents a sympathetic look at the kids who were and are massively dominated by selfish, overbearing and often embarrassing parents. This is particularly true for Ivanka, Don Jr. and Eric who were merely footnotes in the story of their parents' massive ambition.

While Ivanka's portrait and life is by far the most interesting, Don Jr.'s is the most sad, even compelling. Eric is still a bit of a mystery (in the book). But for all three, it's clear to see that each has been victimized and abused in the same horrible manner. If you don't like Trump, you'll find their story human and somewhat tragic. If you do like Trump, you may be more disgusted than you thought possible.

In any event, Emily Jane Fox presents the facts and events in the best way possible. Her narration is not quite as good as professional female readers - and yet, she makes the book more believable so she's perfect.

I so recommend that everyone read this book to gain a more comprehensive picture of the "main characters" in the biggest political drama - Trump - of the year, decade, century and even the entire history of the United States. This book will become even more important in years to come as we look back to figure out "what happened?"

Book review

Excellent!!
I wish I lived that life.

I voted for Donald last time. But not this next session
PA voter

I hate that I liked this book.

I dont want to like this. this family is destroying our country. that being said, I liked having some background on all of the Trump children. I am the same age as DON Jr, and I barely remember the trauma... nice to have it all in one place.

Trump kids explained

good Insight ,not a bad hit piece at all, kind of explains how people get to some spot in life with a little help and then in spite of it.

"Riveting"

As one of the reviewers said "I thought I knew everything about the Trumps" but this book lays out a fascinating, colorful, humorous portrait. I actually admire this family now that I've listened to their story with a profile of each member. It's amazing they all stayed sane.

I can't imagine a more appropriate narration than this author. There are a couple of grammatical errors which makes me think that editors of the current generation don't value proper grammar because no one seems to care but as a baby boomer I'm sad that editors are less careful. On the whole I absolutely loved this whole audio book! Thank you Ms. Fox! Well done!

These people...

The Trumps have proven over and over again to be the classless bunch everyone has come to know.

The book is great for mindless gossip entertainment once you’ve finished a heavy-hitting intellectual piece and are looking for a much much lighter one.

The performer is good, but the perf. is poorly edited. At times the performance segues in different volume levels and in a copy/paste and robotic tone of voice. It also contains a lot of snort-like noises coming from the performer’s throat, at times hard to ignore.

Is the media a part of your life?

If you are not familiar with the Trump family and want to learn more about them, then I would DEFINITELY recommend this book. The author is a great reporter and knows here stuff. If you know trumps story then you could skip this book. I does have a handful of surprising things but most is known by people who are invested in the news these crazy days. But it was a good listen and I would listen again.

there's no ending

Good, gossipy fun look at Trump, his marriages and first 4 kids. BUT...there's no ending! The book just stops.

Excellently educational and entertaining

Well-written and performed, this book is a resounding endorsement of the author and an illumination into the private Trump world. I would absolutely read another book from Emily Jane Fox.